kelly



(No Model.) s She'ets--Sheet ;1.

' O. W. KELLY & L. F. DIETER.

TRACTION ENGINE.

Patented 0013.28, 1884.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-She la: 2.

' O. W. KELLY & L. F. DIETER.

TRACTION ENGINE.

No. 307,398. Patented Oct. 28,1884.

. m. n fl w/ WM MR (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. 0. W. KELLY 8: L. P.DIETER.

TRACTION ENGINE.

No. 307,398. Patented Oct. 28, 1884.

arnr

OLIVER WV. KELLY AND LOUIS F. DIETER, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO AS SIGNORS TOTHE SPRINGFIELD ENGINE AND THRESHER COMPANY,

OF SAME PLACE.

TRACTION ENG INE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 307,398,dated October28, 188%.

Application filed August 25, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, OLIVER W. KELLY and LOUIS F. DIETER, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTraction-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

It has become common in tractionengines to use a compensating mechanismthrough which the power to drive the traction-wheels is transmitted.This compensating mechanism is adapted to transmit the power to thetraction-wheels equally when the engine is moving in a straight line,but in changing direction, as in turning corners, &c., a compensatingmovement is effected, by which one wheel is permitted to turn fasterthan the other or to stop entirely while the other wheel is revolved.The most common way of attaching the compensating mechanism is to placeit directly on the main axle, to which one of the traction-wheels isrigidly secured, the other traction-wheel being adapted to turn looselyon the axle. An independent connection between the compensatingmechanism and the respective traction-whecls is accomplished by securingone of the compensating-gears rigidly to the axle, the other beingconnected to the loose traction-wheel and adapted to turn loosely uponthe axle. By this construction, however, all shocks or jars occasionedby the traction-wheels running over protruding stones or in passing overrough or uneven ground is transmitted directly to the compensating-gear,bringing a heavy strain thereon. By our invention herein described wehave sought to overcome this difficulty by a novel arrangement of thecompensating mechanism on a sleeve placed around the axle in combinationwith springs, whereby the entire driving-gear, including engine andboiler, is supported from the main axle by an elastic or yieldingsupport adapted to cushion the jars or jolts upon the traction-wheelsand thus relieve the gearing from the strain occasioned thereby. Meansare also provided for transmitting an elastic rotary strain from the m0-tive power to the traction-wheels, so that the strain upon theg'earingdue to the varying conditions under which the engine must work,

. is reduced to the minimum.

Our invention consists in the organizations and combinations of partshereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,Figure l is a rear elevation view, partlyin section, of atraction-engine embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevationshowing the frame to whiehthe supporting-sleeve is attached, and alsoshowing the position of the springs on which theboiler and gearing aresupported. Fig. 3 is an end view of the sleeve removed, the cover orouter flange of said sleeve being separated therefrom and shown in Fig.8. zont-al sectional view of the sleeve and frame, showing thearrangement of the compound elastic gear and the compensating mechanismon the sleeve. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the compound elastic gear andthe compensating mechanism on the sleeve, showing the springs fortransmitting the rotary strain and the connection from the respectivegears of the compensating mechanism to the tractionwheels. Fig. 6 is aview of the inner side of the loose traction-whee1 and the clutchsecured rigidly 011 the shaft. Figs. 7 and 8 are detailed viewshereinafter referred to.

Like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference throughout theseveral views.

In said drawings, A represents the boiler; B, the main axle, and O O thetraction-wheels. The power to drive the traction-wheels is transmittedfrom the engine by means of suitable gearing to the spur-gear D. Thisspur-gear D is made into two parts, provided with springs a a a fortransmitting a rotary strain from the outer ring to the inner core orspider. It is termed by us the compound elastic gear, and itsconstruction and operation is fully described in a former applicationfiled by us March 4, 1884., and numbered 123,036. Small bevel-pinions bb b journaled centrally in the inner core or spider of the compoundelastic gear D, engage on either side with the respect ivecompensating-gears E and E, and form the compensating mechanism, theoperation of which is fully set forth in the above-named application.The main aXleB is journaled at each side of the boiler in bearings c 0,adapted to move vertically on slides d, formed in the side frame, F F,on each side of the boiler. These side frames are each composed of twoFig. 4 is a horisill F.

parts, e and e, (see Fig. 2,) and are secured to the side sills, F F,which consist, preferably, of wrought-iron I-beams, and extendlongitudinally along each side of the fire-box. The part c of each sideframe is bolted securely to the boiler and rests at the bottom againstthe top of the sill F. Immediately opposite the piece 0, and bearingagainst the bottom of the sill F, is a saddle, F also bolted securely tothe boiler. The saddle F and the part c of frame F are connectedtogether by bolts 6 6 which clamp the sill tightly between the saidsaddle and frame. In addition to the bolts e 6 pins or studs 6 (see Fig.2) are inserted in the sills F, and project into the part c of frame F,thus effectually preventing any longitudinal movement of said frame onthe sills. The piece 6 is bolted at the top to the part c of the frameF, which rests thereon. This part c is also bolted in the rear of thebearings to the The slide d, on which the bearing 0 moves, is formed onthe forward side directly on the piece 6 of the'side frame, so that theforward thrust of the traction-wheels is brought directly thereon, andthus transmitted directly to the boiler and to the sills F.

Resting upon the top of the bearings c 0, and extending verticallybetween said bear ings and the side frame, F, are springs ff, adapted tosupport the weight of theboiler and gearing upon said bearings. The sideframe, F, next to the compensating mechanism, is faced off on theoutside and adapted to receive a sleeve, G, which is bolted or otherwisesecured thereon, immediately opposite the bearing a. This sleeve G isprovided with a slotted opening, 9, through which the axle B extends,the said opening being sufficiently large to permit a vertical movementof the axle sufficient to compress or expand the springs f f.

Upon the sleeve G is, journaled the com-v pensating mechanism in thefollowing manner: The inner compensating-gear, E, is provided with a hubof considerable length, turned off and adapted to form a bearing for thecompound elastic gear D. It is also bored out and journaled directlyupon the sleeve G, which is turned down to form a journal therefor. Theothercompensating-gear, E, is journaled on the hub of a wrist plate ordisk, E said hub being of an equal diameter with the hub of gear E, andalso bored out to fit the sleeve G. The wrist-plate E and gear E, withwise secured on the outer end of said sleeve. The sleeve G being secureddirectly to the side frame, F, which in turn rests upon the springs f f,the compensating mechanism, as well as the other gearing, boiler,engine, &c., are supported on said springs, the axle, with its bearingsand traction-wheels, being-alone subject to the jolts and shocks fromthe uneven roads. The compensating mechanism being placed upon a sleevewhich is supported upon the axle by springs, the said axle will becapable of a vertical vibration within said sleeve, which will vary therelative positions of said axle to-said compensating mechanism. Now, inorder that the compensating mechanism may perform its functions, thecompensatinggears must be independently connected to the respectivetraction-wheels by means adapted to permit of the vertical vibration ofsaid axle without affecting the successful working of the compensatingmechanism. We preferably accomplish this as follows: Upon the axle B,just beyond the end of the sleeve G, is keyed or otherwise rigidlysecured a clutch-plate, H. On the outside of the clutch-plate, andadapted to turn loosely upon the axle, is the tractionwheel 0, held fromlateral movement on said axle between the clutch-plate H and a collar,t, secured to the axle at its outer end. The other traction-wheel, O, issecured rigidly to the axle in the ordinary manner. The axle is heldagainst lateral movement through its bearings by collar is k, made inhalves and se cured rigidly thereon inside and against the respectivebearings c c. the outer compensating-gear, E, are formed lugsl Z,preferably two in number, and on opposite side of center of said gear.The hub of the loose traction-wheel O is also provided on its peripherywith lugs m m. In these lugs Z Z and m m on the respective wheels aresecured wrist-pins n n and 0 0, preferably at an equal distance from thecenter of the wheels to which they belong. A connection is establishedfrom the wrist-pins a n in gear E to the corresponding wrist-pins inwheel 0 by means of links 19 p. In a similar manner the wristplate E isprovided'in its face with wrist-pins n a, which are connected towristpins 0 o in the face of clutch-plateH bylinks It will be seen thatthe compensatinggears are thus connected independently to the respectivetraction-wheels.

The links 9 p and p p are each provided with slotted holes where theyare connected onto the respective wrist-pins, so that one link of eachpair will always be in a position. to drive either forward or backwardwithout regard to the relative position of the axle and compensatingmechanism. The wrist-pins are each preferably made crowning on theirface, the slotted holes in the links being correspondingly concaved, sothat the said links may readily adapt themselves to any position of theaxle in respect to the compensatinggears' On the periphery of cut instraight from one face of the link, as form a bearing for acompensating-gear and shown in Fig. 7, so that the link may be read ilyplaced upon the wrist. This opening will be placed, preferably, near thecenter of the slotted hole, so that when the wrist is in either positionof forward or backward motion the links cannot slip off from the wrists.If desired, a washer may be secured on the end of each wrist, as shownin Fig. 7, as an additional safeguard against the links coming off. Itwill be seen that by this construction the compensating mechanism isrelieved from all the jolts or shocks to which the traction-wheels andaxles are subjected, while at the same time the said compensatingmechanism is enabled to perform its functions as heretofore.

To provide for connecting the tractionwheels rigidly together upon theaxle when desired, the clutch-plate H is provided with openings 7" r, toreceive the sliding clutch-pins s s, which are adapted to slidelongitudinally through bearings in the hub of the loose traction-wheel0. These clutch-pins s s at the outer end engage with thecam-projections s s 011 a cam collar, i, said cam-collar being securedto the hub of the traction-wheel, so as to turn thereon, and adapted,when turned in one direction, to press the pinsinto engagement with theclutclrplate H, and when turned in the other direction to withdraw saidpins from said clutch. The cam-collar is provided on opposite sides withspring-clutches t t, which, when turned to either position, engage withone of the pins sand holds said collar from revolving. (See Fig. 8.) Theopenings rr in V the clutch-plate H are made considerably larger thanthe pins 3 s, so that said pins may readily enter therein. Theclutch-plate H, being secured rigidly to the axle, it will be seen thatwhen the sliding pins are engaged therewith the traction-wheel will beconnected to said axle, and both traction-wheels will turn rigidlytogether.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in themechanism for carrying out our inventionf lVe do not,therefore, limitourselves to the exact constructions shown.

We claim 1. A sleeve around the axle and a compensating mechanism onsaid sleeve, in combina tion with the springs ff, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. In a traction-engine, a sleeve around the axle, springs supportingthe said sleeve, a compensating mechanism on said sleeve, and aconnection bet-ween the compensating-gears and the respectivetraction-wheels, said connection being adapted to permit of a verticalmovement of said axle in said sleeve, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

3. The combination, with side frames attached to the boiler, said sideframes being provided with openingsfor the axle-bearings, which slidetherein, and springs placed between said bearings and frame of thesleeve secured to the said side frame and adapted to axle passingthrough said sleeve, and means, substantially as set forth, forconnecting the compensating-gear to the respective tractionwheels onsaid axle, as specified.

4. The sleeve around the axle, springs supporting said sleeve, acompensating mechanism on said sleeve, an elastic connection betweensaid compensating mechanism and the engine-shaft, and means permittingof a ver tical movement of the axle for connecting thecompensating-gears to the respective tractionwheels substantially as setforth.

5. The combination, with the sleeve around the axle, and springssupporting said sleeve, of a clutch-plate and traction-wheel securedrigidly to said axle, and a traction-wheel loose upon said axle, of acompensating mechanism on said sleeve, and links for connecting thecompensating-gears to the loose tractionwheel and the clutch-plate,respectively, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with a sleeve around the axle, and springssupporting said sleeve, of an inner compensatinggear having a wristplate secured thereto, said gear and wristplate being journaled on saidsleeve and adapted to form a bearing for an elastic gear, and the outercompensating-gear, bevel-pinions in said elastic gear adapted to engageon either side with the respective compensating-gears, and means forconnecting the compensatinggears to the respective traction-wheels,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination, with traction wheel adapted to turn loosely upon theaxle, a clutchplate secured rigidly to said axle, and pins adapted toslide in bearings through the hub of said traction-wheel, of thecam-collar provided on its periphery with cam-projections engaging withsaid pins and adapted to bring said pins into engagement with saidclutch when revolved in one direction and withdraw said pins whenrevolved in the opposite direction, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

' 8. The combination, with the traction-wheel loose on the axle, theclutch secured rigidly to the axle, sliding pins in said traction-wheeladapted to engage with said clutch, and a camcollar for moving saidpins, of catches and springs for holding said cam-collar in differentposit-ions, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination, with the main axlebearing, of side frames providedwith slides for said bearing, said side frames being composed of twoparts, one of which is secured directly to the boiler and adapted toreceive the forward thrust of said bearings, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 16th day ofAugust, A. D. 1884.

. OLIVER W. KELLY.

Witnesses: LOUIS F. DIETER.

RANDOLPH COLEMAN, PAUL A. STALEY.

